Sports are not just for the fitness of the body or the well-being of the mind, they are not only for people to stay active but they are a way to connect people of different races, ethnicities and cultures.

Sports are a bridge between countries and continents and with the creation of international sporting associations and councils, great talent is discovered and placed on the international stage for the whole world to see and appreciate. This is the case of Khaman Maluach a young South Sudanese basketball player who is making waves on the international arena.

Maluach was born in Rumbek South Sudan, grew up in Uganda as a refugee and was passionate about basketball from the tender age of 13. He attended high school in Uganda then went to the National Basketball Association (NBA) Academy Africa in Senegal and also attended Duke college which he chose over The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Maluach therefore played for the South Sudanese professional team Cobra Sport in 2022 and then progressed to play for other teams in the Basketball Africa League BAL until March 2024 when he got drafted by City Oilers a Ugandan club for the 2024 BAL season where his performance was impeccable .

He played for his country’s national team for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup at the age of 16 then made his debut in a victory against China and he was the third youngest player appearing in a World Cup game. Maluach helped his home country to become Africa’s top ranked team and the team qualified to play in the Summer Olympics of 2024 in Paris France.

His biggest breakthrough came on 25 June,2025 when he was selected to be the 10th overall by the Houston Rockets hence he will play for the Phoenix Suns as part of the Kevin Durant trade alongside Dillon Brooks as well as Jalen Green. Maluach has become the highest drafted player from the NBA Academy Africa as well as the Basketball Africa League .

Maluach is raising his nation’s flag higher and is setting the bar even higher for African boys and girls who may want to venture into international basketball. Having recently been selected 10th pick in the 2025 NBA Draft by the Houston Rockets, he is now playing alongside worldly known basketball players like Kevin Durant, Jalen Green and Steph Curry who play for teams that are in the NBA league.

At just 18, Maluach is trending in international waters much to the joy of his country and Africa as a whole. However, he joins African players like Joel Embiid, Bam Adebayo, Giannis Antetokounmpho, Victor Wembanyama and others who are playing in the NBA League showing how Africa is home to some of the best athletes in big leagues like NBA.